Evie - it all seems inescapable when it's on paper, doesn't it? It suddenly becomes very real. Sorry you're feeling sad. I've been there myself and still get a lump in my throat when I read some reports.
Jason is just approaching 3 yr. Is this his first year of intervention? If it is, then you have a few more years to go before school...still enough time to significant improvements....
If your present evaluation is so comprehensive, then probably you're in good hands...BUT, yet there will be a point you have to ask yourself whether present methods are working...
My Daniel benefitted from a mixture of approaches. He was at an early intervention centre with a high teacher to student ratio, 2 teachers to 6 students. They started out with PECS to get them used to a routine and a schedule...but most of it was just working on motor skills & living skills (which was good coz that's where Daniel learns to wear his own clothes, brush his teeth!!)........ In the end, after 7 months, due to abrupt circumstances, we changed.
Daniel then had 1 and a half years of Montessori style which helped him a lot preparing him academically, in terms of writing, language, maths etc. A dedicated principal was also a VERY IMPORTANT plus factor.
Now Daniel is in Year 2 of inclusive education in a mainstream school. Still got problems focussing on completing his work but step by step...we are making small but steady progress...
So, HEADS UP Evie....
The same goes for activities at home. The last couple of days, he's started playing with lightsabers with his oldest brother, but wouldn't look his brother in the eye, no talking and only some slight smiles from time to time. This was him clearly having a good time, though, from my point of view. At the same time, if Bran wandered away, Jason didn't care, and sometimes he would just go wander away himself. And yes, this is his first year of intervention. He's had nothing other than what I've tried to do at home, he was just given the dx of autism in late May. ETA: I hope things will improve once we have the hearing issues sorted out. Whether it is APD, some moderate hearing loss, ora combination of the two, I'm hoping that addressing these things will bring some improvements in language. He will be three on Thursday, so I don't know whether or not an IFSP or an IEP will be the way to go forward to addressing these things (all issues), and I guess getting him in to see a psychologist or psychaitrist (sp) will be helpful, too. Oh -- you have not even BEGUN therapies? Don't get too depressed yet! I am sure they will be able to help him, at that age. Well, I got the draft results of Jason's assessments in the mail today, and went through them. It was interesting reading, but a few things struck me pretty hard. Number one, Jason's expressive and receptive language is in the 6-9 month and 6-8 month ranges, respectively. That wasn't a big surprise, really, but it was depressing to see it in black and white. They hadn't told me that, but I had guessed as much. Hard to read, though. They also stated: "Based upon the evaluation results, Jason is demonstrating significant delays in his cognitive skills. A standard score was not computed based upon Jason's activity level during the assessment. During most of the evaluation, Jason was walking around the room." Also: "Jason exhibits a significantly different communication system, characterized by a lack of response to spoken messages and limited communicative signals." They suspect a "disorganization of auditory information" may be interfering with his ability to gain language and communication signals. Auditory Processing Disorder, maybe? The developemental pediatrictian noted Jason's disruptive behaviors, and stated that I likely needed some help with that. I don't know what she meant by that, either therapy or medication for him, or parenting classes for me! (Grrrr!) I could go on and on, but I find I'm too depressed. One high point is that his eye contact is improving, and his gross motor function is actually appropriate. His appearing to be clumsy is actually a result of him being completely unaware of the environment when focused on an object, therefore he runs into things and people without seeing them until it's too late. Yep -- APD is a part of SID/ASD. It is so hard to see this stuff in black and white. Hang in there, Evie. Things will get better. I am not sure when a boy at this age is not interested in sitting and interacting with the examiner, and as the report says was "walking around the room", how precisely these figures are. I belive an evaluation correctly reflects a child's real developmental level only when it is a careful observation of child-parent's interaction... Daddy Our VB/ABA provider actually offers a 5 week consultation package. At the end, you are given a report with detailed goals and strategies. If VB/ABA interests you, you might want to see if a provider in your area would offer something like this. There is also a book called the Verbal Behavior Approach which just became available in May. It is a step-by-step guide for parents and professional for .95. It is available at www.difflearn.com. The chapters include: Starting with ABA; Assessing Your Child; Developing Reinforcers; Manding; Increasing and Improving Speech in Non-Vocal or Minimally Vocal Children; Errorless Teaching and the Use of Transfer Procedures; Teaching Receptive Language Skills and Other Non-Verbal Operants; Putting It All Together; Teaching Toileting and Other Important Self-Help Skills, among others. Oh, darn! The board ate my post!
Anyway, thank you, ladies, for the encouraging words. I'm really hoping that therapy will make a big difference for him, but we'll just have to wait and see! Thanks for the tip on the book, too. It's going in my favorites, so I don't forget about it. Evie Keep your chin up, it does get better. I can tell you at three I had similar numbers and things for what they are showing for your Jason for my ds Jason. He didn't talk at all mostly screamed and wouldn't look us in the eye. He is 5 1/2 now and through a great ST he can speak in 7-8 word sentences and tell stories. We still have alot of work to do with the behaviors and sensory but it does get better. Give it time especially if he was just diagnosed. You are a great mom and you can do this. Late to posting...just back from vacation:) I just wanted to say that Sarah's language is now age appropriate or above both receptively and expressively but at your son's age both were at 8 mos. level..it is one of the facts that will stick with me forver but I was also told she may never talk or have emotional connections and yet she lost her autism label and is one of the smartest kids in her class. She needed intense ABA and speech for 3 years to get this far...Pecs/pics made a huge difference as well..we took pictures of every single thing and made books, posters, schedules ect..and labelled constantly and always had her mand for things and praised, rewarded all attempts she made for anything and she finally learned her words had power and started to slowly use them. IT was a slow process but looking back it was all worth it! Dont dispair:) Get busy:) Pray and post often:) [/QUOTE] Hey, Shelley! Hope your vacation was great! Thanks for the encouraging words about this. Sarah really has come a long way! I am just worried, because I don't have the kind of money I really need for that sort of intense therapy. I am willing to try RDI or Floortime, as 1) I honestly feel Jason would do much better with this, as he's not exactly the world champ at sitting and following directions, lol and 2) I can't afford to hire someone privately to continue therapy outside of school, and at least I can be trained to do RDI or Floortime for much, much less. That picture may change once my hubby completes his MBA (he's looking at a big salary jump then!), but I am also afraid that by then, it will be too late. Ah geez! It must be the late hour or something, but now I'm all depressed and weepy.
I think I'm getting past the "stoic acceptance" part of this autism thing. I'm careening headlong into "guilt" and inadequacy territory! You can do this!! ...you are a super strong mama..you just havent realized it yet!
Start taking pictures of everything he loves~make a small photo book and just work with him on that and dont move on to other pics.. till he is understanding and pointing and close approximations of the words..then move on. I paid big bucks to do this but I just didnt realize how much common sense it really is...any parent can do ABA style teaching..it requires great presistence:) Pray alot:) Take breaks and teach hubby:) Come here and vent,, pm me for anything:) It gets better...I promise:) You can do this!! ...you are a super strong mama..you just havent realized it yet!
Start taking pictures of everything he loves~make a small photo book and just work with him on that and dont move on to other pics.. till he is understanding and pointing and close approximations of the words..then move on. I paid big bucks to do this but I just didnt realize how much common sense it really is...any parent can do ABA style teaching..it requires great presistence:) Pray alot:) Take breaks and teach hubby:) Come here and vent,, pm me for anything:) It gets better...I promise:) [/QUOTE] Thanks, Shelley...I'm planning on doing just that very thing! We're upgrading the 'puter here in a couple of weeks, and buying a digital camera along with, so I'm gonna be getting busy with that. Hopefully, I'll get some direction and ideas out of his IEP meeting on the 12th, too. Thanks again, Shelley. It's nice to know it's not really as daunting as it seems sometimes. I'm working on it, but you know how it is...late nights make boogymen out of our fears! Late to posting...just back from vacation:) I just wanted to say that Sarah's language is now age appropriate or above both receptively and expressively but at your son's age both were at 8 mos. level..it is one of the facts that will stick with me forver but I was also told she may never talk or have emotional connections and yet she lost her autism label and is one of the smartest kids in her class. She needed intense ABA and speech for 3 years to get this far...Pecs/pics made a huge difference as well..we took pictures of every single thing and made books, posters, schedules ect..and labelled constantly and always had her mand for things and praised, rewarded all attempts she made for anything and she finally learned her words had power and started to slowly use them. IT was a slow process but looking back it was all worth it! Dont dispair:) Get busy:) Pray and post often:)
My son too had low numbers before he began interventions. In three months
he was a different child. While we do have intense ABA one thing we have
learned is that what we do as parents can undermine the therapies or greatly
add to it. I think in your case you will be the one leading the charge. If you
can get a little coaching, I think that you can learn the lingo. Any child can
benefit from from the methods that you want to implement whether they are
nt or on the spectrum. You got a built in peer group which is nice. It seems
daunting but you sound like the kind of girl who is on the ball and can
handle the challange. Before you know it you will be posting his
accomplishments.
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